August 3, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Saturday, August 3) – Phoenix Rising FC (6-8-7) lost, 2-0, to Colorado Springs Switchbacks tonight at Weidner Field.
Rising hosts Tampa Bay Rowdies at Phoenix Rising Stadium next Saturday, August 10 at 8 p.m.
Tonight, Alejandro Fuenmayor got forward to play a cutting pass to Charlie Dennis in the eighth minute. Dennis turned in space and tried to beat Colorado Springs goalkeeper Christian Herrera high and to his left, but the 6’6″ goalkeeper slapped the chance down and recovered the rebound.
At the opposite end, Rocco Rios Novo made a pair of saves between the ninth and 22nd minute to limit the Switchbacks before Laurence Wyke connected with Rising’s newest signing, Tomas Angel. The debutant grabbed control of the ball and ran at Herrera, but after colliding with the goalkeeper his shot attempt was blocked.
Moments later, Damien Barker John, making his first start for Phoenix, set the table for Juan Azocar. The Venezuelan attempted to slip a low shot past Herrera, but once again the goalkeeper was equal to the task, making his third save in the opening 25 minutes of the match.
Colorado Springs broke the deadlock in the 34th minute with a solid combination play between four players on their right flank. Cutting into the middle, the ball was played into Ronaldo Damus when it deflected off a Rising defender and set up perfectly for the forward to hit with his first touch. Damus spun and struck a low shot into the corner of the goal to Rios Novo’s left side to make it 1-0 Switchbacks.
Rios Novo made his third save of the evening on Maalique Foster in the 50th minute of the match, diving far to his right side to punch away the attempt.
Giulio Doratiotto and Eduardo Rito came off the bench and combined to create a great chance for Phoenix in the 74th minute. Rito cut inside from the left flank and went straight down the middle of the pitch before playing a give-and-go with Doratiotto. The return feed was off to the left of goal and Herrera, who had charged off his line, but Rito attempted to float a shot high into the far side netting. The shot avoided the goalkeeper but the sailed just wide of the woodwork.
Tyreek Magee intercepted a back pass inside Rising’s area in the final seconds of the match and pounded a hard shot inside the far post to make it a 2-0 final.
Scoring:
COL – Ronaldo Damus 34
COL – Tyreek Magee 90+8
Discipline:
PHX -Renzo Zambrano…